Vehicle wheel-rim.



H. W. FUNK. VEHICLE WHEEL RIM. APPLICATION FILED 1AII.I5, 1912.

hmmm; PIIIQHIQII July 13, 1915.'

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entran srairns RICHARD W. FUNK, OF WEEHAWKEN, JERSEY, .ASSIGfNOR TO R. W. FUNK,

INCORPORATED, OF NEVI YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION GF NEW YORK.

VEHICLE WHEELRIM.

hll 46,422.

Specification of Letters Patent.y

Patented July t3, ltfltii.

The use of pneumaticA tires which are sub.

ject vto deflation from accidental cause is so widespread in automobile service that an eticient means for permitting the replacement of a damaged t-irewith a perfect one is now regarded as requisite. My invention deals with that type ot rim which is transversely split to permit the collapse ot the rim and thus allmvthe removal ot' the tire from it, and my invention is particularly directed to a peculiar form oi rim ot this general type which makes disengagement of the rim from the tire positive and smooth and prevents the possibility of damage tio the tire, which has formed a strong objection hitherto to this type ot rinnespecially when used with tires having inextensible beads for engagement with the rim.

In order to promote the ready disengagement of the tire from the rim when the latter is collapsed by forcing one section of the rim adjacent to the split therein either radially inward or by causing it to telescope with the adjacent section ot' the rim, I cut away or taper on a smooth curve one or both clenches ot' 'a section of the rim' adjacent to the split. The resulting effect upon the tire when the rim is collapsed is to cause the beads of the tire to be pressed together by a sort of wedging vaction on the part of the tapered clenches when the rim is distorted from its normal configuration and thus positively to cause the beads otl the tire to disengage from the clenches of the rim through out a considerable portion of their periphery. The complete removal of the tire is then a simple matt-er.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a top View of a section of a transversely split tire-carrying rim constructed according to my improved design; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the portion of the rim shown in Fig.

1 Fig. 3 illustrates an alternative construction in which linkage is used to span the split in the rim; Fig. isa side elevation oit the structure shown in lFig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral. l designates the tire-carrying riin transversely split at -2 on a plane which may, as shown, be substantially perpendicular to the' major plane of the rim but inclined` to a radius. The section 3 ot the rim which is adapted to be displaced away 'from the periphery when the rim is collapsed has the clenches 1L and 5 cut away or tapered along a smooth curve at (i and 7.

ln the construction shown in Figs 3 and -l the rim is further ynovidedwith means :tor permanently connecting the sections on either side otl the split. These means eompriselinks S pivoted at i) and lll, respectively, to straps 11 and 12 riveted or otherwise secured to the inner periphery ot the rim.

ln the operation ot the device, when one section of the rim. as 3, is distorted inwardly 'from the normal periphery otl the rim, the lwadso'lz the. tire V155, which are held under the'clenches, are forced closer together by the action ot the taper on the clenches ot the rim section adjacent the split. rlhese tapered edges exert a wedging action upon the tire and gently but firmly cause the disengagement ot' the. beads of the tire trom the portion ot the rim which i's being displaced. The action at first is purely local, but more and more of the tire is disengaged as the ,rim section continues to depart 'from the normal periphery, and a considerable portion is Yfreed by the time the ends ot the rim are substantially out ot' line, The remainder of the tire may then be readily removed from the rim, a new tire placed over the rim and alined therewith, whereupon the shit'ting of the ends ot the rim into their initial position will cause a reversal of the original operation, and the clenches will take hold of the beads of the tire without further effort on the part ot' the. operator.

Any suitable means may be used for causing the distortion ot the rim as outlined. such for instance as that illustrated and described in my co-pending application tor United States Letters Patent for tools 'tor operating vehicle wheel rims, tiled January 15, 1912, Serial Number 671,160. ldlhile l regard the curvature given to the clenches as shown in the drawings to be substantially the best adapted for the purpose, l appreciate that many alterations may be made in this regard without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction illustrated and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

i.. A transversely split clencher rim having the portions of its'clenches adjacent to and upon the same side of the split cut away, eaclA upon a compound c1uve,presenting continuous opposed wedging surfaces to cause the beads of said tire to tend to leave said clenchesfwhen the ends of said rim are moved into overlapping position.

2. A transversely split clencher rim for tires having inextensible beads, the opposite portions of the olenches adjacent to the split being tapered from the upper portion of the clench first outwardly and then downwardly toward the rim base, permitting the inextensihle beads of said tire to withdraw from said clenches when the ends of said rim are moved into overlapping position.

3. A transversely split tire carrying clencher rim having a portion of the clench adjacent to the split cut away for a small arc of the circumference on one side of the split therein and adjacent thereto, from the top of the clench outwardly and downwardly toward the rim base to permit a bead of said tire to be withdrawn from said clench when the ends of said rim are moved intoA oven lapping position.

l. A transversely split tirecarrying 'clencher rim having portions of the opposed clenehes adjacent to the split cut away on homologous curves diverging toward the `split and tangent to the normal periphery of the clenehes at points more remote from the split to exert a wedging action on a bead of said tire and permit the tire to be withdrawn from said clench when the ends of said rim are moved into overlapping position.

5. A tire-carrying rim transversely split on a plane substantiallyy perpendicular to the plane of the rim but inclined to a radius thereof, having portions of the Clenches adjacent to said split cut away from the upper portion of the cleneh outwardly and downwardly toward the rim hase to cause the heads of said tire to approach and Withdraw from said elenches when the ends of saidrim are moved into ,o veilappingposition.

6. A tire-carrying rim transversely split on a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the rim but inclined to a radius thereof having portions of the clenches adjacent to said split out away for a small arc of the circumference on one side of the split thereir, from the top of the clench outwardly toward the. rini hase to cause a head of said tire to be withdrawn from said clench when the ends of said rim are moved into overlapping position.

T. A tire-carrying riin transversely split on a plane suhstanl ially perpendicular to the plane of the riln but inclined to a radius thereof, the cleurh of the rim on one side of the split therein being tapered toward the split in the rim,and linkage connecting` the ends of the rim.

8. A tire-carrying rim transversely spiit on a. plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the rim but at an angle to a radius thereof, the portion of the rim on one side of the split therein having its clenches cutaway on homologous curves diverging toward thev split and tangent to the normal periphery ot' the clenches at points more remote from the split.

9A A tirerarrying rim transversely split on a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the rim but at an angle to a radius thereof, the portieri of the rim on one side of the split therein having its clcnches cutaway on homologous curves diverging toward the split and tangent to the normal periphery ofthe clenches at points more remote from the split, and linkage connecting the ends of the rim.

RICHARD il. FUNK.

lllitnesses GERALD E. lnnwinmonn, Gravina Winnaars.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of aten'ta, Washington, D. C. 

